Kay Anders, along with her husband, Peter, came to Los Alamos in 1987. Enders worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory until she retired. But her work wasn’t finished yet. In fact, Anders felt she was being called to take an entirely new path.

Anders achieved a major milestone on this new journey when she was ordained a priest Tuesday at Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church. Assisting Bishop William Frey presided during the ordination.

During the ceremony, she said Frey and other clergy members laid hands on her and ask the Holy Spirit to make her a priest and Anders committed herself to being a priest.

The road that led her to this point started when she was a little girl. Anders said she and her mother prayed before going to sleep. Furthermore, Anders attended a renewal movement weekend in Cursillo in 1990. At the end of the program, participants read a passage from Isaiah and each person was asked, “Who will I send?” The response was “Send me.”

Anders said when she made her response, she knew at that point, “I really would be spending the rest of my life serving God.”

“It was very much God’s calling,” Anders said. “It was a longing; knowing I was called to be a shepherd to His people.”

More than 10 years later, she started that process.

To become a priest, Anders graduated from Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in Ambridge, Penn., in May. She earned a Master’s of Divinity degree. Additionally, to become a priest, Anders had to spend at least six months working as a deacon.

The traditional role of the deacon, she said, is to be the interface between the church and the community.

As a deacon, she worked alongside the Rev. Colin Kelly and the community, too. She participated in Bible study on Thursdays and because Trinity on the Hill is part of the Chile Line Team Ministry, she had the opportunity to worship with people in St. Stevens in Espaola and St. Jerome in Chama.

Working with the community, Anders said, is a time of spiritual growth before becoming a priest.

As a priest, Anders’ primary role will be help other people grow spiritually so they can go out and take the gospel into their workplace.

Anders explained Jesus said to Peter, “Feed my sheep,” and the role of the priest is to continue to the feed the sheep, or people.

She will be able to lead the Eucharist and continue to be more involved in the life of the parish.

Embarking on this work “is exciting and scary and there’s a certain joy and peace that this is what God has been calling me to do my whole life,” she said. “The Holy Spirit has really shaped me.”

Anders said she will continue to serve the Los Alamos community until God calls her elsewhere.

She added, “He continues to lead me to places I never expected to be lead (but I have) complete confidence that He is doing the leading.”